Method and system to automate a survey process to determine average passenger weight and average checked bag weight used in determining aircraft weight

A method of weight survey automation, to establish an average weight of checked bags loaded onto an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing the aircraft, the aircraft being fully loaded and comprising a non-measured total checked bag weight and a total non-checked baggage weight, the total non-checked baggage weight being weight other than the total checked bag weight;
• b) measuring a weight of the fully loaded aircraft to determine a measured aircraft weight;
• c) reducing from the measured aircraft weight, the total non-checked-baggage weight;
• d) determining a calculated remaining weight, corresponding to the total checked-bag weight;
• e) providing a number of checked-bags from a load manifest;
• and
• f) using the number of checked bags and the calculated remaining weight, determining a calculated average weight of the checked-bags within the aircraft.

A method of weight survey automation, to validate an operating empty weight of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a previously measured operating empty weight of an aircraft, being a first operating empty weight;
• b) measuring a fully loaded weight of an aircraft to determine a measured aircraft weight;
• c) reducing from the measured aircraft weight, all non-empty operating weight associated weights, within the aircraft, being a second operating empty weight;
• and
• d) determining a difference between the first operating empty weight to that of the second operating empty weight.

A method of weight survey automation, to validate the accuracy of fuel weight indicators of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

• a) determining a first fuel weight, from onboard fuel indicators;
• b) measuring a fully loaded weight of a respective aircraft to determine a measured aircraft weight;
• c) reducing from the measured aircraft weight, all non-fuel associated weights, within the aircraft, being a second fuel weight;
• and
• d) determining a difference between the first fuel weight to that of the second fuel weight.

A system for determining average passenger and baggage weights in aircrafts, the system comprising:

• a. one or more aircraft, each of said aircraft comprising an on-aircraft computer communicatively linked to a plurality of sensor inputs, said on-aircraft computer being adapted to analyze sensor data associated with the plurality of sensor inputs;
• b. first and second off-aircraft computers communicatively linked to the on-aircraft computer;
• c. the first and second off-aircraft computers and the on-aircraft computer each being adapted to send and receive data transmissions and each being adapted to analyze such data transmissions;
• d. wherein data transmissions communicated from the on-aircraft computer to the first off-aircraft computer comprise load manifest and operating empty weight data;
• e. wherein data transmissions from the first off-aircraft computer to the second off-aircraft computer comprise compiled and automated survey results comprising calculated average passenger and checked bag weights;
• and
• f. wherein said second off-aircraft computer is adapted to analyze such calculated average passenger and checked bag weights to create refined average passenger and checked bag weights.